1. Preheat the oven to 110º C. Line a baking tray with parchment, scatter the chopped olives on it in an even layer and dehydrate in the oven for upto 4 hours or until quite dry, stirring through the tray every hour. Dehydrate and then finely chop the rocket leaves in the same way, although the leaves won’t take more than an hour.
2. Chop off the hard ends of the asparagus stalks and blanch in salted water. Set aside.
3. Rinse the lettuce leaves in ice cold water, drain, and set aside.
4. Blanch the broccoli florets in salted water and set aside. Wash the tomatoes, drain, and set aside.
5. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a non-stick pan and fry the brussel sprouts (cut-side down) with salt and pepper to taste. Once golden and caramelised, add about half a cup of water, stirring over a medium flame until the brussel sprouts are tender. Remove and set aside.
6. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a non-stick pan and add the garlic. Throw in the mushrooms, season, and stir-fry until brown and cooked through.
7. Peel off the shells and mash the hard-boiled eggs with the mayonnaise to as fine a paste as possible. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if you like.
8. Spoon the egg-mayo mixture into a round or rectangular metal baking dish with raised edges and even out the surface. You could actually use any type of dish you like, but a metal or clay dish looks the best since it’s supposed to replicate a mini garden. Now use your judgement to scatter over the olive soil and rocket grass as you see fit. Then “plant” the vegetables, arranging them as you like, symmetrically or asymmetrically, by pushing them down gently into the egg-mayo base. Serve with a large spoon onto smaller plates, or let your guests pick up little vegetables and snack as they please.

I can promise you this will be the talking point of your evening. Make it and watch your friends gush over it 🙂

Have a wonderful wonderful New Year! I hope 2014 is a blessed and happy time for all of us.